Nugent Sand planning wind energy experiments

After failing in its plans to build 65 upscale homes on land that was once sand-mined, Nugent Sand Co. wants to embark on an experiment involving generation of wind power and is seeking approval tonight.

Within the next month, the firm would like to erect two meteorological towers up to 162 feet in height on its property. They would be used only for the next year to test wind speeds and direction.

That information would be used to determine whether it would be profitable to install equipment necessary to start producing wind-generated electrical power on the site, according to Norton Shores Mayor Jerry Wiersma.

"It's not in the critical dunes area, to my knowledge," Wiersma said of where Nugent Sand would like to erect the two towers on its property located at 2925 Lincoln Street in Norton Shores. One 162-foot tower would be placed on the southwest side of the sand-mining company's land and a smaller one, with a height of 30 or 40 meters, would go up on the northwest side of the site.

In a letter to city officials, Nugent Sand President Robert Chandonnet indicated the structures are made by an internationally recognized manufacturer and won't require excavation or tree removal.

The towers will be anchored by screw-in anchors or arrowhead earth anchors driven into the ground deeply enough to hold up the towers "under worst case anticipated wind and icing loads," according to Chandonnet.

Norton Shores City Council will hold a special meeting at 6:30 tonight at Norton Shores Branch Library, 705 Seminole, to consider amending Nugent's special use permit to allow the towers.

Conditions staff suggested for approval include that the towers obtain any necessary permits from both the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the Federal Aviation Administration.

For the complete story, return to Mlive.com on Tuesday or pick up a copy of Tuesday's Muskegon Chronicle.